Machine for making fiber tubes



July 12, 19217.

O. B. BROWN ET AL MACHINE FOR MA INGQ FIBER TUBES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed July 11. 1924 July 12, 1927.

o. 5. BROWN ET AL MACHINE FOR MAKING FIBER TUBES ori'gihal Fild July 11. 1924 v g s g s f 2 Q 56 W O U I 5% @IUI ii z? T o L 54 fl! 55 o u if I 10 Parker on July 2 2 functions may be termed Patented July 1 2, W27.

UNITE .SJTATES PATENT 'o cE.

OBTON B. nnown AND Hownnn rnnxna, or human, new HAMPSHIRE, AssieN'oRs '10 BBOWN GO MPANY, 0F BERLIN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

MACHINE roe MAKING rrnnaruans.

Original application This invention has relation'to instrumentalities for automatically making fiber tubes, such, for example, as those produced by winding about a mandrel a web'of wet pulp v 5 delivered from a vat of aqueous .pulpby a and conveying mechanism. In machines for this purpose, such as illustrated in Letters Patent No.- 1,147,262, granted on the application of Howard 1915, or in an application of HowardParkerSerial No.' 715,086, filed May 22, 1924, the mandrels are automatically supplied seriatim to a forming point or station in the machine at whicheach 'is located suitable forming betweenand in parallelism "with'a plurality of (usually three) rolls, with which"t rotates in peripheral'unison, so that the 'eb of pulp fed thereto may be wound-thereon. Heretofore these rolls, which from their base and press rolls respectively, have been mounted in end bearings, and thus have all-been necessarily of relatively large diameter to, resist such bending or distortion as would occur under opcrating conditions-due totheir len h. It has followed, therefore, that, whi e such machines are capable of producing efiiciently and economically long tubes of relatively large diameter-say three inches or more the production of long tubes of small diameter (say inch to 2 inches) has been inhibited by reason of the necessarily large diameter of the forming rolls.

The object of the present invention is to provide an instrumentality by -means of which long tubes of small diameter may beproduced. The manner in which this is accomplished and a machine embodying the invention are described and set'forth in the 40 following portion of this specification, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents in vertical section that portion of the machine which is provided with forming rolls and associated mechanism constituting one form of the inven- Figure 2 shows a portion of the machine with the press rolls lifted-from the base roll,

to permit the removal of a filled mandrel and its replacement by an empty mandrel,

V Figure 3 is a somewhat similar view, ,on' a larger scale, showing the tube in the process of formation, with the forming rolls in operating position,

several mechanisms of the filed. July 11, 1924, Serial No. 725,403, and in Canada July 8, 1925. Divided and this application filed September 3, 1926. Serial'No. 133,392.

but illustrates an alternative device for removal of water from the wet tube. v

Figured is a'detail view, showing inside view, one of the felt, guide rolls, the associated forming press roll, and the abutment bearing for thelast-mentioned roll.

Figure 54 illustrates more or less conventionally a portionof a complete machine in which the present invention is incorporated.

In machines such 'asheretofore employed, there is a suitable web-forming mechanism, by which the aqueous pulp contained in a vat. isformed, conveying mea-nsl'by which the wet web is supplied to the forming pointand automatic mechan sm which the sup: ply of the web is automaticallyinterrupted for that length of time required to permit of the machine to be woundabout a mandrel,

the complete formation of a tube," its removal from the forming .point or station and the placement of a fresh. -or-empty mandrel at the forming point to receive the oncoming end of the interrupted web. -So far' 1 as the present invention is concerned, any

suitable instrumentalities for attaining these results may be employed, it: desired, so that it will be understood thatthe present inven I tion is not limited'to those which are hereinafter described. Moreover any suitable timing mechanism may be utilized for ensuring the properly. timed operation offthe connection, reference may be had to the Letters Patent issued on the application of Howard Parker, No. 1397,3 14, June 10,

machine. In this 1924:, and to his application Serial No.

v715,086, for those details of construction and operation'of a complete machine whichare not herein shown or described.

In Figure 1 a portion of the framework at thetube-forming portion of the apparatus is shown, as indicated generally at 10,

which supports certain of the instrumentali;

ties to be described. At 11 v there is a feeding table upon which many empty mandrels are positioned and-from which they are removed, oneat a time, and located between the form ing rolls; and at 12 there is a deliverytable onto which the filled mandrels' are successively delivered from the winding or forming point, these several tables being preferably in the form of tracks to support the ends, only,

of the mandrels which project 1 1 cated at 13, are employed, and are autoj matically and intermittently operated; to '5' feed the mandrels to and away from the forming or winding position, each wheel being provided with pivoted arms 14 and -.-assoeiated chucks 15 for loosely entering'the eiidsfuif the mendrels; The front mandrel n'ltiliti table 11 rests against a stop 16, which e proper time is automatically raised tQZ-frelease it, and at the same time a stop IT dbcbnds to engage the second mandrel, the

ov'ement,- .of these two stops being simul 'neous but inopposite directions and being properly timed in reference to the operation of'wthe other instrumentalities of the machin'e. Amer-e complete description of these several parts'is iven in the application last herein mentione .1 The forming rolls comprise a base roll 18 and press rolls 19, 20.. These rolls are of "hay length that may be desired, say, six to ten feet. The base roll 18 is journaled in 26 a y" suitable stationary bearings afforded by the framework, and may be of such relatively large diameter that it will not bend between its ends, by reason of its own weight or of the operating conditions.

About this roll is passed the felt or apron- 21 by which the wet pulp Web is supplied to the mandrel which is in winding position.

- The two cooperating press rolls 19 and 20 are of small diameter so that, when they are brought to suchh'position that'their adjacent peripheries are equidistant from each other and the base roll,'a-n imaginary cylinder tangential to the rolls is of very small diameter. The press rolls are supported on slides (one being shown), of which one is indi cated at 22, each of thesev slides being vertically movable in a stationary guideway 23 firmly fixed to a stud shaft 24 on'which one of the carrier wheels 13 is rotatably mounted. It will be understood that the construction of the gu'ideways' and of the slides is the same at both ends of the respective rolls so. that a description of these parts at one end of the roll will sutfice for both.

Each slide at its lower end is provided with laterally-extending arms or brackets 25, and in these arms .or brackets are journaled two relatively large guidemile 26, 26, around whichthere is passed a drier felt or apron indicated conventionally at 27. The slides 22 are connected by angle beams or cross bars indicated at 28 by which they are rigidly connected. The two press rolls 19 and 20 3 have their axes located in a horizontal plane considerably below the horizontal plane of the axes of the guide rolls 26, and they are provided with reduced ends which .are mounted in journals 29 at-the lower ends of the slides 22. Inasmuch, however. asthese 1 rolls 19 and 20 are of relatively great length and of small diameter, they would tend in operation to-bend intermediate. their end portions, and consequently to prevent this they are also journaled .inbearings interme -fit 1'" diate their ends. "These'inte'rmediate bear ings may becontin'uous or the bearings may be formedinsect ons as it were. As shown,

there is securedto'the under side of they cross bar 28 a plurality of blocks 30 which are provided with concave portions to en rolls 19'and 20. Associated with each block there are two bearing members 31, 31, which are also provided with concave portions to engage the peripheries of the rolls 19, 20,

gage the peripheries of the two adjacent so as to support the roll against downward.

bending when the press rolls are lifted, as

well as to resist upward or lateral thrust in either direction.- The drier felt 27 as shown in Figure 1, passes beneath one of the guide rolls 26, thence under the two press rolls, and thence under the other guide roll 26.

The press rolls are spaced far enoughapart' so as to hold a mandrel newly placed between them, as Well as the mandrel while the pulp web is being wound thereon, in proper position without danger of dislocation, the drier felt being sufliciently flexible and yielding so that it will in its travel follow the contour of the mandrel andxthe tube being formed thereon'without causing a malformation of the tube. Any suitable mechanism may be utilized for moving the slides 22 to bring the press rolls into and out of operating position. Thesame mechanism which is utilized in the machine illustrated in the Parker application Serial N 0. 715,086, may be utilized for this purpose, so that it is not necessary to describethe same in detail. It may be stated however,

that thetwo slides 22 are connected by links 32 to the free end ofa frame 33 pivoted at 34. The frame 33 is connected at its free end by links 35-to floating levers 36,-oneonly of each of these being shown .as-they are duplicated on the machine.

ing lever 36 at one end is connected to the arm of an eccentric strap 37, and at its other end there is a piston 38 working in a dash pot 39 carried by the'fi'ame 33 intermediate,

its ends. If the breaking or interrupting of the web which is being supplied to the mandrel for the formation of a tube is controlled by the thickness of the tube, the end of one of the floating levers 36 extends beyond the piston 38 and has secured thereto a weighted cord 40 wrapped about the drum 41 of a thickness adjuster. The thickness ness-and the lever 42 is tripped, the timing mechanism is set into operation by which the eccentric strap 37 is operates by an eccen tric 43, after the web of pulp has been interrupted for a sufficient length of time, to operate the levers 36 and swing upwardly the frame 33 so as to raise the slides 22 and thus move the press rolls and the felt guiding rolls to an inactive position as shown in Figure 2, so 'as to permit theremoval of the mandrel with the completed tube thereon and the introduction of an empty mandrel to the winding or forming position. Upon the frame 33 may be journaled additional guiderolls 44, 45 for the drier felt.

' As shown inFigure 5, the drier felt may be passed under a'nd'over various guide rolls through squeeze rolls and otherwise treated about the base roll 18, is caused vto pass around a couch roll 52 so as to receive the web which forms on the cylinder mold 51-. Suitable whipping, washing and suction apparatuses and devices are utilized for cleaning and dryin the felt 21 after ithas delivered the we to the mandrel and before it again reaches the couch roll 52.

Any suitably-operated mechanism located at any convenient oint ma be employed under the control 0 the thic ess measurer or otherwise to interrupt the web being delivered by the conveyor orfelt j21. when the tube being formed has reached "predetermined thickness, so it will be-understood that we are not limited to the fparticular mechanism which we have illustrated forthis purpose. This mechanism as illustrated is substantially the same as that illustrated in the last-mentioned application filed by Howard Parker in which the web is in-,-

terrupted before being delivered by the c linder mold to the conveying devices y which it is conveyedto the mandrel. It may be suflicient to state that the breaker felt is indicated conventionally at 53 and passes around guide rolls 54, 55, ona frame which is automatically moved into and out of engagement with the cylinder mold. Powertransmitting connectionsbetween the frame which is indicated at 56 and operating mechanism on the machine is employed for causing the actuation of the frame at the proper time, all as set .forth in said'Parker application. In Figure'5 the'breaker web 53 has been brought into engagement with the-cylinder, mold 51 so as to remove the web therefrom and thus interrupt the supply of 'web to the mandrel on which the tube is then being formed. The breaker felt is whipped, dried and cleaned by any suitable instrumentalities andthe web which is thereon is removed by a couch roll 57 from which it is scraped bya doctor 58 into a receptacle indicated at 5 No claim is herein made for any particular form of breaking mechanism or any particular form of timing mechanism or mechanism for. efi'ecting the movements of the guides by which the press rolls are operated, apart from their association and their coordination and cooperation withthe press rolls, the essential features of the resent invention comprehending those inci cut to the accurate formation of tubes of small diameter -such as cannot be accurately formed by forming rolls which are all journaled only at their ends.

It is important in the formation of the tubes that the water which is expressed from the pulp during the winding of the web upon the mandrel may be properly removed. This may be accomplished in any one of several ways. For example in Figure 1 the large base roll comprises .a, shell rovided with numerous perforations, and within the shell there is a. stationary segmental mem ber 60 below theifo'rming or winding point of the machine. iQgThis se mental member is providedwithaslot ort roat 61 connected a conduit; 62-" with a vacuum pump (not s own) so that the .water whichis exprewed from the tube may be'suckedthrough the felt 21 and removed, If desired, however, a, construction asshown in Figure 3 may be employed,'in which case the block 64, corres onding to those-at 20 in Figure 1,.is provi ed with athro'at or chamber 65"connected by a conduit '66 with a -vacuum pump not s own, so that the Water which is expressed from the tube may be sucked through the drierfelt 27. Other equivalent means ma mplo d for removing the excess water. Th ripheries of the press rolls and the associated bearing surfaces of the intermediate abutment bearings are preferably Qpolished, and they are lubricated by the 7 water which is expressed from the pulp, so

that .the press rolls do not need necessarily to be rotated by power. But ordinarily it is preferable to aflix on each end of each of the guide rolls 26 a gear 67. The gears 67 intermeshwith gears 68, with which also engage pinions 69 on' the endsof the press rolls (see The drier felt 27 is driven by any suitable driving mechanisms,

. and, By reason of its lar e area of Contact with the guide rolls 26, e ects their rotat on, b

so that, through the intermediate gearing,

the press rolls are driven at, a peripheral speed equal to that of the guide rolls and with, but ordinarily it is preferable to employ them, particularly when the intermediate gearingbetween the felt uide rolls 26 and said press rolls is used; 'lhe slides, in which the press rolls and the guide rolls are supported, constitute a carrier therefor, but any other suitable mechanism may be utilized by which the forming rolls are separated and brought back to operating position. A

No claim is herein made for the means intermediate the ends of the press roll or rolls for preventing the springing thereof,

and no claim 1s made. for. the. suction charm 1 her located between the press rolls expressed from the tube being formed, as these constitute the subject-matter of application Serial No.- 725.403, filed July 11, 1924, of which this application is .a division.

lVhat is claimed is a 1. In a machine for making. fiber tubular bodies, amandrel, a plurality of forming rolls comprising a base roll and press rolls,

a felt .travelingbetween the mandrel and the press rolls, bearings engaging the surface between the ends of each of the press rolls on more than half its circumference,

and means for guiding said felt clear of said" 3. In a machine for making fiber tubular Y bodies, a mandrel, a plurality of formin rolls comprising a stationary base roll an press rolls, a felt traveling between the mandrel and the press rolls, guide rolls for the felt located on both sides of and adjacent to said pressrolls, and a movable carrier for said press rollsand guide rolls.

machine for making fiber tubular bodies a mandrel, a plurality of forming rolls comprising a base-roll and press rolls, a carrier for the press rolls, felt guide rolls journaled in said carrier onboth sides of a'nd adjacent to said press rolls,-:and a traveling felt passing aroundsaid guide rolls and between said'press rolls and the manv 'drel. n a

5. In a machine for making fiber tubular bodies, a mandrel, a plurality of forming rolls comprising a base roll and press rolls, a traveling felt passingbetween the mandrel and the press rolls, guide rolls for the felt, and power-transmitting mechanism between the' guide rolls'and said press rolls.

In testimony whereof we have afiixed our signatures.

. ORTON B. BROWVN. HOWARD PARKER. 

